Linkage 2.8.10 Available

There is a type of configuration that is not handled by the simulator but the simpler situations are now handled.

Valid Sliding Connector Curved Paths

Invalid Curved Paths

I am planning on improving the simulator so that it can handle a variation of that invalid situation shown above. If the two sliding connectors share the same path, the simulation should not be too difficult. It will depend on the nature of the path of connector “I” in that case. I think that connector “I” would also be limited to a circular path which makes the simulation possible. It is the oval, elliptical, or uneven curve that it would take in the above mechanism that makes simulation difficult to program.

There may also be variations that I have not tested that cause problems.

Warning, there may be a bug in the program that causes it to hang or get stuck.

I have encountered a bug that I have not yet resolved where the entire program just hangs. I have not been able to track it down but it seemed like it first appeared when I had a sliding connector positioned directly on top of one of the limit connectors. Keep an eye out for it and let me know how it happens if anyone encounters it.

2 comments

Hey Dave, I have just found and started using this program and I think it’s great. There is just one thing that would make it even better. I would like to be able to change the rotation of the ‘Input’ feature and to be able to set a marker for the starting of the animation. I.e. I make my mechanism then set the ‘Input’ to reverse, I then stop the mechanism at a point I feel would provide a nice starting position then I set the direction on the input to forwards and the mechanism shows it’s whole action rather than just a limited amount. Other than this I think Linkage is a great piece of software.

I’m not sure I understand. You can use the pause button to start the mechanism in paused mode then step forward and backwards with the forward/back buttons (use the use the keyboard ‘[‘ and ‘]’ keys to step). Once you like where things sit, use the Pin button to make that the new starting location. That will then be the position of the mechanism that you are editing in the editor. You can change the rotation direction at any time by entering a negative or positive RPM value, opposite whatever was the previous value.

But there is no way to oscillate. You cannot have a rotating input move from 10 degrees to 45 degrees then reverse itself. They are limited to going in circles just like a motor. If you need to oscillate then you need to add a few links so that the rotating input makes some other part oscillate.

Feel free to send me an email with a mechanism and a more detailed description of the problem and I can take a look and make suggestions.